Testing a Family Supportive End of Life Care Intervention in a Chinese Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Quasi-experimental Study With a Non-randomized Controlled Trial Design

Background: Neonatal death often occurs in tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). In China, end-of-life-care (EOLC) does not always involve parents. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate a parent support intervention to integrate parents at the end of life of their infant in the NICU. Methods: A quasi-experimental study using a non-randomized clinical trial design was conducted between May 2020 and September 2021. Participants were infants in an EOLC pathway in the NICU and their parents. Parents were allocated into a family supportive EOLC intervention group or a standard EOLC group based on their wishes. The primary outcomes depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for mothers; Hamilton Depression rating scale for fathers) and Satisfaction with Care were measured 1 week after infants' death. Student t-test for continuous variables and the Chi-square test categorical variables were used in the statistical analysis. Results: In the study period, 62 infants died and 45 infants and 90 parents were enrolled; intervention group 20 infants, standard EOLC group 25 infants. The most common causes of death in both groups were congenital abnormalities (n = 20, 44%). Mean gestational age of infants between the family supportive EOLC group and standard EOLC group was 31.45 vs. 33.8 weeks (p = 0.234). Parents between both groups did not differ in terms of age, delivery of infant, and economic status. In the family support group, higher education levels were observed among mother (p = 0.026) and fathers (p = 0.020). Both mothers and fathers in the family supportive EOLC group had less depression compared to the standard EOLC groups; mothers (mean 6.90 vs. 7.56; p = 0.017) and fathers (mean 20.7 vs. 23.1; p < 0.001). Parents reported higher satisfaction in the family supportive EOLC group (mean 88.9 vs. 86.6; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Supporting parents in EOLC in Chinese NICUs might decreased their depression and increase satisfaction after the death of their infant. Future research needs to focus on long-term effects and expand on larger populations with different cultural backgrounds. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT05270915

Emerging threat of thrips-borne Melon yellow spot virus on melon and watermelon in Taiwan

The thrips-borne Melon yellow spot virus (MYSV) has recently been found infecting cucurbits in Taiwan. However, this virus was indistinguishable from another thrips-borne virus species Watermelon silver mottle virus (WSMoV), which has been devastating on cucurbits in Taiwan for decades, when the antisera against their nucleocapsid proteins (NPs) were used for diagnosis. To understand the incidences of WSMoV and MYSV in melon and watermelon fields, a survey was conducted in central and southern Taiwan from July 2007 to December 2009. The samples collected from symptomatic plants were tested by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific to the NP of WSMoV or MYSV and the reliability of the results was verified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using species-specific primers. Among a total of 10,480 melon samples collected, 6% and 18.2% of them were found singly infected with WSMoV and MYSV, respectively, and 0.16% infected with both viruses. On the other hand, among 1,811 watermelon samples assayed, 22.4% and 9.2% samples were singly infected with WSMoV and MYSV, respectively, and 0.17% were infected with both viruses. In addition, the aphid-borne viruses Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), Papaya ringspot virus watermelon type (PRSV-W) and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were also detected as prevalent viruses. Our results indicated that mixed infection with the two thrips-borne viruses is rare. Moreover, host preference for both viruses is different; WSMoV prevails on watermelon whereas MYSV is more widespread on melon. We conclude that MYSV has become a serious threat for watermelon and melon production in Taiwan and the possible control measures are discussed

A Diffractive Study of Parametric Process in Nonlinear Photonic Crystals

We report a general description of quasi-phase-matched parametric process in nonlinear photonic crystals (NLPC) by extending the conventional X-ray diffraction theory in solids. Under the virtual wave approximation, phase-matching resonance is equivalent to the diffraction of the scattered virtual wave. Hence a modified NLPC Ewald construction can be built up, which illustrates the nature of the accident for the diffraction of the virtual wave in NLPC and further reveals the complete set of diffractions of the virtual wave for both of the air-dielectric and dielectric-dielectric contacts. We show the two basic linear sequences, the anti-stacking and para-stacking linear sequences, in one-dimension (1D) NLPC and present a general rule for multiple phase-matching resonances in 1D NLPC. The parameters affecting the NLPC structure factor are investigated, which indicate that not only the Ewald construction but also the relative NLPC atom size together determine whether a diffraction of the virtual wave can occur in 2D NLPC. The results also show that 1D NLPC is a better choice than 2D NLPC for a single parametric process

Direct Measurements of the Branching Fractions for D0→K−e+νeD^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e and D0→π−e+νeD^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e and Determinations of the Form Factors f+K(0)f_{+}^{K}(0) and f+π(0)f^{\pi}_{+}(0)

The absolute branching fractions for the decays $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ are determined using $7584\pm 198 \pm 341$ singly tagged $\bar D^0$ sample from the data collected around 3.773 GeV with the BES-II detector at the BEPC. In the system recoiling against the singly tagged $\bar D^0$ meson, $104.0\pm 10.9$ events for $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $9.0 \pm 3.6$ events for $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ decays are observed. Those yield the absolute branching fractions to be $BF(D^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e)=(3.82 \pm 0.40\pm 0.27)$ and $BF(D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e)=(0.33 \pm 0.13\pm 0.03)$. The vector form factors are determined to be $|f^K_+(0)| = 0.78 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$ and $|f^{\pi}_+(0)| = 0.73 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.06$. The ratio of the two form factors is measured to be $|f^{\pi}_+(0)/f^K_+(0)|= 0.93 \pm 0.19 \pm 0.07$.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Measurements of J/psi Decays into 2(pi+pi-)eta and 3(pi+pi-)eta

Based on a sample of 5.8X 10^7 J/psi events taken with the BESII detector, the branching fractions of J/psi--> 2(pi+pi-)eta and J/psi-->3(pi+pi-)eta are measured for the first time to be (2.26+-0.08+-0.27)X10^{-3} and (7.24+-0.96+-1.11)X10^{-4}, respectively.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

BESII Detector Simulation

A Monte Carlo program based on Geant3 has been developed for BESII detector simulation. The organization of the program is outlined, and the digitization procedure for simulating the response of various sub-detectors is described. Comparisons with data show that the performance of the program is generally satisfactory.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, uses elsart.cls, to be submitted to NIM

Measurement of branching fractions for the inclusive Cabibbo-favored ~K*0(892) and Cabibbo-suppressed K*0(892) decays of neutral and charged D mesons

The branching fractions for the inclusive Cabibbo-favored ~K*0 and Cabibbo-suppressed K*0 decays of D mesons are measured based on a data sample of 33 pb-1 collected at and around the center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BES-II detector at the BEPC collider. The branching fractions for the decays D+(0) -> ~K*0(892)X and D0 -> K*0(892)X are determined to be BF(D0 -> \~K*0X) = (8.7 +/- 4.0 +/- 1.2)%, BF(D+ -> ~K*0X) = (23.2 +/- 4.5 +/- 3.0)% and BF(D0 -> K*0X) = (2.8 +/- 1.2 +/- 0.4)%. An upper limit on the branching fraction at 90% C.L. for the decay D+ -> K*0(892)X is set to be BF(D+ -> K*0X) < 6.6%

The σ\sigma pole in J/ψ→ωπ+π−J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-

Using a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events recorded in the BESII detector, the decay $J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-$ is studied. There are conspicuous $\omega f_2(1270)$ and $b_1(1235)\pi$ signals. At low $\pi \pi$ mass, a large broad peak due to the $\sigma$ is observed, and its pole position is determined to be $(541 \pm 39)$ - $i$ $(252 \pm 42)$ MeV from the mean of six analyses. The errors are dominated by the systematic errors.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PL

Study of J/ψ→ωK+K−J/\psi \to \omega K^+K^-

New data are presented on $J/\psi \to \omega K^+K^-$ from a sample of 58M $J/\psi$ events in the upgraded BES II detector at the BEPC. There is a conspicuous signal for $f_0(1710) \to K^+K^-$ and a peak at higher mass which may be fitted with $f_2(2150) \to K\bar K$. From a combined analysis with $\omega \pi ^+ \pi ^-$ data, the branching ratio $BR(f_0(1710)\to\pi\pi)/BR(f_0(1710) \to K\bar K)$ is $< 0.11$ at the 95% confidence level.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to Phys. Lett.